Ujjain, Jan 1 (NationPress) Kicking off the new year on a spiritual high after their historic World Cup victory, members of the Indian Women's cricket team sought the divine blessings of Lord Shiva at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga here on Thursday. The athletes participated in the early morning bhasm arti at the temple.

Following a triumphant 2025, where the Indian Women's team clinched their inaugural ICC trophy, they now face new challenges as they embrace the year ahead. Players including Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, and Arundhati Reddy received blessings from the priest, preparing for another exciting year of cricket.

Shafali Verma shared moments from the visit on social media, expressing her hopes for the coming year. She donned traditional attire alongside Renuka Singh Thakur and Sneh Rana, stating, "Happy New Year, everyone. Wishing you a fantastic 2026!" Renuka also shared images from their journey to the sacred site, adding, "Commencing the new year with faith, devotion, and Mahadev's blessings. Happy 2026 to all!"

The Indian team had previously visited the Mahakal temple last year during the Women's World Cup, leading up to a crucial match against England. The Women in Blue surprised the defending champions, Australia, to reach the finals of the home World Cup and subsequently triumphed over South Africa by 52 runs at DY Patil Stadium, marking their first ICC victory.

The team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, recently achieved a dominant 5-0 clean sweep against Sri Lanka, setting the stage for their preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026. They are set to face Australia in February and England in May before heading to the T20 World Cup scheduled for June in England.